Always find a way
by marbear691984
Summary: Mary and her 15 year old daughter Rylee and sidekick Shadow run into someone they thought they would never see again
1. Chapter 1

My name is Mary. My 15 year old daughter Rylee Jade, our husky-Pomeranian (a miniature husky) Shadow and I have been traveling for quite some time now. We were walking through the woods and came upon a rock quarry. There was a red sports car parked here. It looked like people had camped here for quite some time.

"Hey Rylee, lets rest here for a bit then head out." I told her

"Sure mom. I am going to take Shadow and go down and fill up our water bottles and let her drink" She said

I walked around and investigated the area. As I walked to the car I saw a note and it said something about the CDC. I don't know what it was but something told me this was where we had to go. Rylee came back and we made a small fire and boiled water for some noodles we had picked up.

"Rylee, there's a note on the car that said something about the CDC near Atlanta. I don't know why but I think we should go there what do you think" I asked her

"It sounds good to me. What do you think Shadow?" She playfully asked our companion

Shadow licked her face and she laughed. We packed back up and headed out. We hit the main road and followed it. After a while we saw a tall walker limping towards us. For some reason he looked sad. That was a first for me. Rylee shot him with her bow and arrow and as we passed him she pulled it out of his skull. It was getting dark so we found a tree and Rylee climbed up. After she was up there she made two makeshift hammocks from some things we found along the way. After she was done I passed Shadow up to her and climbed up myself.

Rylee slept in one hammock while I slept in the other with Shadow on my chest. I awoke to Shadow licking my face which indicated she needed to use the bathroom. The sun was up so I nudged Rylee and she got up and climbed down. She scouted the area for a few minutes and then gave the all clear. I past Shadow down to her and then started to pull our beds down. I finally finished and got down from the tree and Rylee had breakfast made. She had heated up a can of beans.

"We should be close to the CDC. Maybe another couple of hours on foot." I told Rylee

"OK. "I was hoping we would run into the group that left the note by now but I guess they were in cars" She said

"Well Hun, there is no real way to know how long that note was there for. It could have been hours, days even weeks" I told her

"Actually it was a matter of hours. I scouted and there were fresh tracks around the camp and I found some shirts they left behind down at the water. They had been washed and thrown on a rock and were still damp" She told me

"Wow you are your father's child" I laughed

"Where..." she started

"Please Hun can we not do this" I say to her

"Sure mom" she sighed

We packed up and started off again. After we were walking for a little over an hour we heard an explosion.

"That looks like it came from the direction the CDC is in. Maybe it's not a good idea to go there." I said and looked at Rylee.

"Well what about Fort Benning?" Rylee said and pointed to the sign in front of us pointing the way to Fort Benning

"Well it's worth a try." I smiled

We started towards Fort Benning. We had been walking for about an hour maybe more when the road started to get jammed with cars. Shadows ears perked up and she let out a slight bark that we barely heard. That was a sign that walkers were near. I looked behind me and saw a large group of walkers headed our way. I was about to tell Rylee to run when she said "Look mom people!' and pointed in front of us

I knew that they had not noticed the hord headed their way so I told Rylee and Shadow to run to them as we got closer an older man on a RV cried out to the other and I yelled "HIDE" as I passed the RV I grabbed Rylee and Shadow and dove under a nearby car. After a few minutes the walkers stated by us. When we didn't see legs anymore Rylee got out and before I could get out I heard a scream and people running. I rushed out from under the car to see Rylee running after a little girl. I started to run after her when I heard Shadow whimper and someone say "Mary?"


	2. Chapter 2

I heard someone say my name. I turned around and nearly fell to my knees.

"Rick? Oh my God! I thought you were dead! The last I heard you were still in a coma!" I cried out

"Hey lil sis! Long story! What is going on?" he asks me

"Rylee ran in there after that little girl! Rick please I gotta find my baby!" I yelled and started heading into the woods

"Mary wait we will come with you" he says and nods to a rough looking, yet kinda cute redneck, an Asian man and… oh great SHANE!

Shane and I have issues. No one knows this not even Rick but Shane is Rylee's father. If I have it my way Shane nor anyone else will ever know that. It was almost 16 years ago, I was 17 Rick and Shane were 20 and Lori was 19. There was a party at some friend's house and we all went. I loved hanging out with my brother. It was about 2 hours after we got there and I was pretty drunk. I went upstairs and opened the bathroom door to find Shane and Lori going at it. Shane saw me. I just shut the door and walked outside. I was going to walk home and started through the woods when someone grabbed me from behind. It was Shane. "What did you see?" he asked me "I didn't see anything Shane, just you having sex with your best friends, my BROTHERS, girlfriend" I said to him. He slapped me in the face. "You saw NOTHING you hear me! If you say one word to ANYONE I will make you pay!" he spat at me "Shane you're hurting me. Ok I won't say anything" I cried out "You know what you lil bitch I didn't get to finish so to prove my point I'm gonna finish with you". He then raped me. After he was done and he left I laid there in the woods until the sun came up. I finally got up and went home. 2 months later I found out I was pregnant. The next month I turned 18 and high tailed it out of Georgia to North Carolina. I found a great guy that told everyone he and I met on his trip to Georgia and that Rylee was his kid. When the outbreak hit he turned and I had to kill him. I don't know why but something drew me back to Georgia.

"Mary? You ok?" Rick asks.

"Sorry just got lost in thought for a minute. Let's go!' I said

"Ok we need to break into groups. Shane you and Ma…" I cringed a little knowing he was about to send me off with Shane. I guess someone noticed

"Hey Rick let he come with me. I wanna see how that dog does at trackin" the redneck man said

I smiled at him "Ok Mary you go with Daryl. Glenn with me Shane you and T-dog go that way. Meet back here before dark. If you get stuck after dark remember to go high. In a tree or something. But come back to camp as soon as the sun is up so we won't worry." Rick says.

I give my brother and nephew a hug and nod at Lori. Daryl and I head out with Shadow tracking Rylee's smell.

"Thanks for that back there. Name's Mary Grimes." I say to my partner

He nods at me "Daryl Dixon"

"Dixon? I ran into a Dixon a few days ago. He sent me it the direction of a rock quarry outside of Atlanta. What was his name? Meryl I think?" I say

"You ran into Meryl?" He said grabbing my arm

"Yeah, Rylee and I were about to go into Atlanta when this white truck coming FROM Atlanta stopped us. He was in pain from a missing hand. I fixed him up and in return he pointed in that direction saying there was a group of survivors staying there. But when we got there it was deserted. Was that you guys?" I ask

"Yeah. Meryl is my brother. Your brother handcuffed him to a roof in Atlanta. I forgave Rick though Meryl can be a hot head sometimes." Daryl says

Shadow starts to bark and runs away. We give chase. I hear Rylee yell Shadow and for the first time since she ran away I was able to breathe. We ran after Shadow and rounded a corner and there stood my baby but the little girl was not there.

Hope you like it. Please review. I was thinking about making Mary Daryl's wife and Rylee his daughter but I like this way better.


	3. Chapter 3

Well this is chapter 3 and I haven't got any reviews If I don't get any on this chapter I guess I will just delete the story.

I saw Rylee by a tree but the little girl was nowhere to be seen. I ran up to Rylee.

"Oh thank God you are all right! Where's the little girl? Did you find her?" I asked her

"No I lost her! There were 3 walkers following us. I told her to hide and that I would be right back. I killed them and went back but she was gone!" Rylee told me. "Who is that?" she asked nodding towards Daryl.

"That is Daryl, remember Merle? Daryl is his brother." I told her

"Hi I'm Rylee Jade Lutz." She says to him as she puts her hand out to shake his.

"Daryl Dixon. Lutz? Thought your last name was Grimes?" He asks me

"Mine is her dad's last name was Lutz." I tell him

"Oh, so where is your dad?" He asks Rylee. She looks at me

"I don't know, my mom won't tell me" She says dripping with disdain

"It's a long story." I tell them both

"Well looks like we have plenty of time its getting dark so we better make camp here" Daryl says

"We have makeshift hammocks in our pack but there is only two. How do you want to do this? Shadow has to come up with us also. But I don't think me; Rylee and Shadow can fit in one. Would you mind Shadow with you?" I ask Daryl

"It's ok y'all do what you normally do I will take watch." He tells me

I nod and Help Rylee up into the tree and she fixes our beds while I make a small fire and heat up the last can of beans for us. Rylee finishes and I look over to see Daryl helping her down. We all gather around the fire leaning on some rocks. Shadow is curled up with Rylee as she eats and Daryl sits away from us

"You know you can come closer we don't bite… much" I laugh

He scoots a little closer. "Well I try to keep my distance from people, most don't like my ways" he says

"Well does my brother like you?" I ask him

"WAIT!? He knew Uncle Rick?" Rylee asks"

"Oh I left that part out. Honey Uncle Rick is ok. Daryl is a part of his group. Him, your Aunt Lori and Cousin Carl are all back at the road." I tell her

"Are you serious? Wow how cool is that? I haven't seen them in a long time. Is Shane with them too?" She asks. She knows I do not like Shane but not the reason.

"Yes Shane is with them too." I tell her

I barely hear "unfortunately" come from Daryl's direction

"Oh, someone else not a fan of Officer Pain in the Ass?" I ask giggling

"Ah he just rubs some people the wrong way. me and Merle never saw eye to eye with Shane when he thought he was in charge of the group. Your brother is a much better leader" Daryl says

"Wait, where was my brother when Shane thought he was in charge?" I ask

Daryl then explains everything that had happened up until we met them, including the fact that they were at the CDC when we heard it blow up.

It started to get darker so Rylee and I headed up into our beds with a quick good night to Daryl.


End file.
